Weather looks good for tonight.

Ambient 16 °C
Humidity: 63%
Wind: 9 km/h / 2.6 m/s from the SSW
Visibility: 10.0 kilometers
Scattered Clouds 1219 m (Above Ground Level)


Schedule for Tonight

1820-1955hrs – Solo practice

2000-2050hrs – Sidecar practice

However, reports are, that this will be reversed, whereby the Chairs will be out first.

Hutchy clocks an unofficial lap record

HUTCHINSON AND MOLYNEUX/FARRANCE TAKE QUALIFYING HONOURS
AT 2010 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES

For the third evening in a row, conditions all around the Isle of Man were perfect which meant that it was another ideal night of practice for the 2010 TT races fuelled by Monster Energy, the final session before Saturday’s opening race day. It was the last chance for competitors to make further adjustments to their machinery in preparation for the 6-lap Superbike race whilst the sidecars were also out in force, preparing for their first 3-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

As happened in Thursday’s qualifying, the sidecars were first out on the course and they were greeted with an information board saying simply ‘dry roads, clear weather’. At 6.30pm, it was John Holden/Andy Winkle who left the line first followed by Klaus Klaffenbock/Dan Sayle, Simon Neary/Paul Knapton, Conrad Harrison/Kerry Williams and Gary Bryan/Gary Partridge. Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance set off mid-pack with Tim Reeves/Dipash Chauhan further back although they were later reported as having stopped at Parliament Square where they were making adjustments. This also applied to Keith Walters/Alun Thomas and Brian Alflatt/Herve Chenu who had both pulled in at the Highlander.

Klaffenbock and Holden crossed the line almost together, lapping at 113.508mph and 112.55mph respectively with Neary sandwiching the pair on speed at 113.058mph. Harrison was the only other driver above 110mph with speeds generally down on previous evenings as the crews used the session to bed in engines and scrub in tyres prior to the race. Holden improved to 113.24mph second time around, to go third fastest for the week, and was one of only a handful of competitors to complete two laps.

The chairs had a slightly shorter session tonight and the solos were underway at 7.20pm, getting a full hour and a half thus meaning four laps, at least, could be completed by the majority of the field. The riders again set off in numerical order so, once again, it was Bruce Anstey who blasted off first, this time alongside Ian Lougher with Ian Hutchinson, Keith Amor, Cameron Donald, Guy Martin, Adrian Archibald, Conor Cummins and Gary Johnson following them. John McGuinness set off in the fifth pairing on his 600, leaving his Superbike in the garage during the session.

Anstey was reported stopped at Sulby Bridge before proceeding whilst Guy Martin pulled off the course at Ballacraine (not getting back out again until 8.30pm) and Carl Rennie at Parliament Square but Hutchinson was again flying and his opening lap was 130.234mph, just shy of McGuinness’ lap on Wednesday evening. Cummins lapped at 129.405mph on his Superbike with Amor putting in a fine lap on his BMW Superstock machine at 128.156mph, the bike only 4mph down on Hutchinson’s Superbike through the Sulby speed trap. James Edmeades and the KTM were also having a good evening with their first ever 120mph+ lap, Senior Manx Grand Prix winner Michael Russell also recorded the benchmark average speed for the first time..


Hutchinson went even quicker on his second lap at 130.614mph to move to the top of the Superbike qualifying leaderboard and win the Graham watch for the fastest rider of the week whilst Amor did likewise on the Superstock BMW at 128.229mph. Meanwhile, the Dunlop brothers were setting the pace on their 600s, Michael getting close to the class lap record at 126.39mph with older brother William moving in to the top six at 123.621mph, just behind McGuinness at 123.750mph. Meanwhile, Donald was again close to 129mph on his Superbike machine.

Dunlop then went quickest in the Superstock class also at 128.324mph, another personal best, whilst Amor switched to the HM Plant Honda Superbike lapping at 128.48mph with Hutchinson and McGuinness above 125mph, having gone back out on their Superstock machines. Just like Thursday, the majority of speeds dropped off as the session wore on, a combination of traffic out on the course and the dropping temperatures, but Archibald did 129.372mph and Dunlop 128.792mph, both on their Superbikes and both personal best laps ever. Martin eventually got back out and did two laps on his Superbike, the best at 128.240mph

The newcomers were again in fine form with Stephen Thompson lapping at 117.456mph, Herve Ganther 115.481mph and Hudson Kennaugh getting above 110mph for the first time at 112.976mph. Anthony Czyzewski and Clinton Pienaar also posted their best laps of the week in excess of 112mph. In the 600cc division, David Johnson recorded 115.552mph, Dan Cooper improved to 114.481mph with David Jones and Brandon Cretu not too far behind at 111.931mph and 111.128mph. Gary May also posted his first 110mph+ lap.

Overall Practice Leaderboard:

Poker Stars Superbike TT

1 Ian Hutchinson (1000 Padgetts Honda) – 130.614

2 John McGuinness (1000 HM Plant Honda) – 130.242mph

3 Conor Cummins (1000 McAdoo Kawasaki) – 129.405mph

4 Adrian Archibald (1000 AMA Racing Suzuki) – 129.360mph

5 Guy Martin (1000 Wilson Craig Honda) – 129.145mph

6 Cameron Donald (1000 Relentless by TAS Suzuki) – 128.974mph

Monster Energy Supersport TT

1 Michael Dunlop (600 Street Sweep/Marlow Construction Yamaha) – 126.39mph

2 Ian Hutchinson (600 Padgetts Honda) – 125.020mph

3 Keith Amor (600 Kojak Racing Honda) – 124.797mph

4 Guy Martin (600 Wilson Craig Honda) – 123.902mph

5 John McGuinness (600 Padgetts Honda) – 123.750mph

6 William Dunlop (600 CD Racing Yamaha) – 123.621mph

Royal London 360◦ Superstock TT

1 Michael Dunlop (1000cc Hunts Motorcycles/Marlow Construction Honda) – 128.324mph

2 Keith Amor (1000 KBMG BMW) – 128.229mph

3 Ryan Farquhar (1000 KMR Kawasaki) – 128.076mph

4 Michael Rutter (1000cc HM Plant Honda) - 127.564mph

5 Guy Martin (1000 Wilson Craig Honda) – 127.503mph

6 Ian Hutchinson (1000 Padgetts Honda) – 126.339mph

Sure Sidecar TT

1 Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance (600 DMR Kawasaki) – 115.464mph

2 Klaus Klaffenbock/Dan Sayle (600 Manx Gas/A&J Racing Honda) – 114.096mph

3 John Holden/Andy Winkle (600 Holden Racing/TAS Suzuki) – 113.24mph

4 Simon Neary/Paul Knapton (600 Dave Hudspeth Carpets/Nick Crowe Racing Honda) – 113.172mph

5 Conrad Harrison/Kerry Williams (600 Printer Roller Services Honda) – 111.962mph

6 Tim Reeves/Dipash Chauhan (600 Double M/Haith Racing Suzuki) – 110.758mph